Belling tool for bore holes



Jan. 12, 1965 R. v. JosEPHsoN 3,164,964

BELLING TOOL. FOR BORE HOLES Fx O fm1/29 Filed April l2, 1962 2 Sheets-Shea?l l Jan. 12, 1965 R.v..1osE|=HsoN 3,164,964

BELLING Tool. FOR BoRE HOLES Filed April 12, 1962 2 sheets-sheet 2 3,164,964 BELLING T001. EUR EURE HOLES Richard Y'. Josephson, 490; Park Blvd., Winnipeg 29,

Manitoba, Canada Filed Apr. 12, y19162, Ser. No. 187,131 3 Claims.v (Cl. i1- 63) My invention relates -to new and useful improvements in helling tools for bore holes'.

It is well known that when concrete piles are poured,

it is desirable to form a volume of greater diameter than the bore hole either at thehase of the pile or'partway therealong in order -to give additional stability to the pile and provide `additional weight carrying capacity thereto.

,This helling is usually formed by what is conventionally known as a spread bore assembly which utilizes an expanding cutter upon the lower end of the drill stem, butl this suffers from severaldisadvantages, the principal one of which is the fact that it is diilicult to remove the mate-V stem after the lbore hole has been formed and which includes a cylinder and piston assembly actuated by fluid pressure from the surface and an expandable inflatable helling component secured to the .lower end ofthe cylinder and piston assembly with the piston rod secured to the lowerside ofthe component. The piston rod is extended thus reducing the diameter of the component so that Vit Y will pass into the bore hole and then, when it is in position, the piston rod is retracted thus drawing the lower side of the component towards theiupper side so that thev component can be inflated by air pressure thus expanding same outwardly. This has the advantage of forming the helling without the necessity of removing material' and at the same time, in the formation of the helling, the walls and surrounding soil are compressed by the formation thereof thus reducing the tendency of such bellings to collapse. prior to the pouring of concrete. v

The principal object'and essence of my invention is therefore to provide a device of the character herewithin described which` can form helling bores anywhere along the length of the bore hole byrcompressing'theborematerial at this location. i Y 1 Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which eliminates the necessity of removing excess material in the formation of the helling.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes means to prevent the collapse of the bore hole wall immediately above and below the belhng area.

A still further object of my invention is -to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view,` and such other ohjects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled inthe art to which this invention relates as this speciiication proceeds, myinvention consists essentially in the arrangement and constructionrof parts all as herej inafter more particularly described, reference being had.

to accompanying drawings in which:

` FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional View ofmy device on an enlarged scale.

United Seres Patent Q FIGURE 2 is a side elevation lof my device shown in the helling position. i

FIGURE 3 is similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the device in the position for insertion or withdrawal within the bore hole. i

FIGURE 4is a sectional view substantially along the( line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

In the drawings likeY characters of vreference indicate corresponding parts in the diiferent figures.

Proceedingtherefore -to describe my invention in dev tail, `reference should be made lto the accompanying drawings in which reference character Vlil illustrates a cylinder having a base 11 and an upper plate 12, conventionalseal 13 being provided at the junction between the upper plate wardly therefrom, through a gland 17 within the base 1.1

of the cylinder and piston assembly.

Hydraulic lines 18 and 19 extend upwardly to the surface (not illustrated) and communicate respectively with the cylinder above and below the piston 14 so that by normal operation of` a source of hydraulicpressure and a three-way valve, hydraulic fluid can be routed above or below the piston 14 thus sliding same vertically within the cylinder 10.

In order to maintain the wall diameter of the bore hole (not illustrated) within which the device operates, a cylindrical casing 20 surrounds the cylinder and piston assembly concentrically and is secured hy the base plate 21 thereof to a helling component collectively designated 22 by means of bolts 23 passing through lan -inner circular plate 24`situated concentrically within the upper side 25 of the component 22. Mounting rods 26 are secured to the`cylinder'wall 10 and extend upwardly therefrom,`

passing through the upper end 27 of the cylinder casing 20 and being secured, by means o'f the cross head 2S and nuts 29, to lifting and lowering lugs 30 by which means the device may be secured to the lower end of the conventional drill stem (not illustrated). The aforementioned hydraulic lines 18 and^19 also pass through apertures ,31 within-the upper end 27 of the cylinder Ycasing Z0.

The aforementioned helling .component 22 isa cylindrical flexible iniiatable sleeve ,3l-substantially circular when Vviewed in plan and formed of reinforced rubber or plastic or similar material. It is secured, by the Vupper surface 25 thereof, betweenthe aforementioned plate 24 and the lower end l21 of the cylinder Ycasing 20 as previouslyV described.A A

The piston rod 15 extends downwardly through gland 17 into the component 22 and is secured to a lug 32 by 'means of pin 33.V This lug 32 is secured in turn to an inner plate 34 concentrically secured to the lower side 35 of the component 22 by means of nuts and bolts 36 and outer complementary plate 37 all of which is clearly shown in FIGURE 1r Y Furthermore, a mounting bolt 38 extends downwardly fromthe plate 37, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.V f

A exible conduit 39 communicates with the interior oi the component 22 and extends, through-aperture 4t) in the upper wall 27 of the cylinder 2b, to the surface and a the component 22 is slightly less than the diameter of the Y associated bore hole (not illustrated) which in turn is1` substantially equal to the diameter of the cyindrical cas-V Paieated Jan. 12, 196s tu ing 20. The device is then lowered within the bore hole until it reaches the base at which time the hydraulic uid is re-routed so that it enters the cylinder below the piston 14thus forcing same upwardly so that the component 22 takes the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The source of air pressure is then routed through the air line 39 to the interior of the component expanding same under pressure thus causing the component 22, to compress the walls of the bore hole in a bell configuration illustrated in FIGURE l. This compression of the bore Wall prevents the possibility of collapse prior to the pouring of concrete and also seals the walls of the bell and makesA a homogeneous compressed mass around the formed heling thus strengthening same and leading towards the formation of a more efficient concrete belling at the foot of the column. When the belling is formed, the air pressure is released and the piston moved downwardly by hydraulic fluid so that once again the device takes up the position in FIGURE 3 so Vthat it can be withdrawn up the bore hole. During the formation of the belling, the cylindrical casing 20 has prevented any collapse of the wall of the bore, immediatey above the belling7 a situation which might occur without the cylindrical casing due to the relatively heavy pressures present during the formation of the belling.

It will be appreciated that the device can be used to form bellings anywhere along the length of the bore hole and once again means should be provided to prevent the wall immediately below the belling from collapsing. I provide a cylindrical casing orfollower 41 having a diameter similar to the cylindrical casing 20, said casing having a nut concentrically secured to the outer end 43. This nut 42 is adapted to receive the screw-threaded bolt 38 below the component 212 and of course the casing 41 extends and retracts with the piston rod, but prevents collapse of the wall at this point along the bore hole.

Since various modifications can be made in my invent-ion as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

` 1. A iuid pressure operated tool for belling bore holes, said tool comprising in combination a vertically disposed hollow cylindrical casing having upper and lower end walls and adapted at its upper end for connection to a drill stem, a fluid pressure cylinder mounted axially within said casing on the lower end wall of the latter, a r

double-acting piston reciprocable in said cylinder, conduit means extending through the upper end wall into the casing and communicating with said cylinder above and i below said piston for delivering fluid under pressure into the cylinder for reciprocating the piston, a piston rod connected to said piston and projecting downwardly through the lower end wall of the casing, a hollow exible and inatable belling component having upper and lower wall portions, the upper wall portion of said component being secured to the lower end wall of said casing with said piston rod projecting into said component, upper and lower clamping plates secured to the respective upper and lower surfaces of the lower Wall portion of said component, lug means provided on the .upper clamping plate within said component and connected to said piston rod whereby said component may be radially expanded when said piston is slid upwardly in said cylinder, and a compressed air line extending through the upper and lov/er end walls of said casing and communicating at its lower end with the interior of said component whereby the latter may be inflated and radially expanded as a function separate from and additional to the radial expansion thereof by the downward sliding of said piston.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a vertically elongated cylindrical follower of substantially the same diameter as said casing disposed below said belling component, and means separably and detachably securing the upper end of said follower to said clamping plates.

3. In a fluid pressure operated tool for belling bore holes, the combination of a hollow flexible and inllatable belling component having upper and lower wall portions, a fluid pressure cylinder mounted externally on the upper wall portion of said component, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a piston rod connected to said piston and projecting downwardly from said cylinder through the upper wall portion of said component into the latter, means connecting said piston rod to the lower wall portion of said component, means for delivering fluid under pressure into said cylinder for sliding said piston upwardly whereby said belling component may be radially expanded, and means for delivering compressed air into said component whereby the latter may be inflated and radially expanded as a function separate from and additional to the radial expansion thereof by the sliding of said piston. Y

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,295,471 Fleury Feb. 25, V1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 665,914 France May 13, 1929 1,238,773 France June 11, 1960 y630,256 Germany May 23, 1936 

3. IN A FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED TOOL FOR BELLING BORE HOLES, THE COMBINATION OF A HOLLOW FLEXIBLE AND INFLATABLE BELLING COMPONENT HAVING UPPER AND LOWER WALL PORTIONS, A FLUID PRESSURE CYLINDER MOUNTED EXTERNALLY ON THE UPPER WALL PORTION OF SAID COMPONENT, A PISTON RECIPROCABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, A PISTON ROD CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON AND PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID CYLINDER THROUGH THE UPPER WALL PORTION OF SAID COMPONENT INTO THE LATTER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID PISTON ROD TO THE LOWER WALL PORTION OF SAID COMPONENT, MEANS FOR DELIVERING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID CYLINDER FOR SLIDING SAID PISTON UPWARDLY WHEREBY SAID BELLING COMPONENT MAY BE RADIALLY EXPANDED, AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING COMPRESSED AIR INTO SAID COMPONENT WHEREBY THE LATTER MAY BE INFLATED AND RADAILLY EXPANDED AS A FUNCTION SEPARATE FROM AND ADDITIONAL TO THE RADIAL EXPANSION THEREOF BY THE SLIDING OF SAID PISTON. 